A Day at the Races!

So today my dad took me and Adam to Hollywood Park to experience the horse races for the first time. My dad had been there quite a few times when I was growing up, so he showed us the ropes.

Adam and me near the entrance.

It was a big day at the park because today the Kentucky Derby was held (in Kentucky, of course). But we were still able to bet on the Derby and they showed the race on the big screen. We saw six live races and didn't win much on any of them... until Race 10! We each bet $6 dollars (2 on win, 2 on place, and 2 on show) for about 3 horses each. (So $18 dollars total.) Adam and my dad both won about $35 dollars on that race and I won $45... on a horse whose odds were 42-1! The damn horse didn't even win - it came in second, but the payout was so high because of the poor odds.

Horse racing would never in a million years be something that would interest me in the slightest had my dad not taken us, but it was actually really fun and quite interesting! Adam and I want to go back on a Friday because they have live music and $1 beers and hot dogs. ;)

Any day I get to spend with two of my very favorite people is great. :)

Oh! I almost forgot... the horses have such funny names. They were cracking me up all day. Here are some that I can remember:
- Mandated Bliss
- Green Cat
- Hurricane Harbor
- Ms. Sweet Caroline
- Pants On Fire
- Watch Me Go
- Wild Black Cat
- Random Luck

New Adventure? New State?

My handsome boyfriend Adam and I have been in talks of starting a new adventure in our lives. We are at an age where we feel that we are old enough to direct our own lives and be the masters of our own fates, but still young enough to let the winds carry us where they will and explore opportunities before society forces us to get married and settle down with a permanent home and careers and children.

We've decided that next Spring, we want to pick up and leave California and start an adventure in a brand new place where neither of us know anyone or are familiar with any of our surroundings. We've both lived in California our whole lives, so we know nothing else, which is why we have chosen to leave the state for this excursion. But it is also why we feel that our hearts are in California and why this will only be a temporary move. We just want a year or so to get to know ourselves and each other better.

I'm a total city girl at heart and would be happy living in a place like San Francisco or New York City, but that's not what this is about. We want to find a place where we can make a home, and be in peace. This doesn't necessarily mean that we're going to live in the woods or anything, (in fact, there are some medium to large cities that we are considering), but we are mostly looking for a charming, nice place to live on a budget and just enjoy our time away.

We've actually been able to find three-bedroom houses that we can afford, which is unthinkable in California. Some even come with their own docks!

The states we are looking into are: Virginia, Washington, Oregon, and North Carolina. The cities we have looked into the most are Portland, Oregon and Wilmington, North Carolina, but I thought I could use my blog to explore some other options, so that's what I'm going to do. :)

Alexandria, VA: It's along the Potomac River and only 6 miles from Washington D.C. (which is nice for me, because as I've mentioned, I'm a city girl). But it also seems to have a lot of beautiful views and quiet, peaceful areas.

Chesapeake, VA: It's actually a little bigger in size than Alexandria, but it's a beautiful city. And it's right on the Atlantic Ocean, which we'll both love! 

Richmond, VA: All you smarty-pants out there already know that Richmond is Virginia's capital. It's just slightly smaller than Chesapeake, and it really seems to have that East Coast feel to it.

Virginia Beach, VA: Of course, being from Southern California, we both love the idea of living at the beach. I think this would be a good choice for us because although it's a brand-new environment, it will almost be like we have a little taste of home there too.

Chapel Hill, NC: I've always thought North Carolina was extremely beautiful. Yes, it's in the south, but it's along the ocean and it's really not as "hick-ish" as some might think. In fact, "Chapel Hill and its surrounding area have historically been politically liberal" (says Wikipedia, haha).

 Charlotte, NC: Charlotte is the only city in North Carolina I've actually been to, and I thought it was absolutely beautiful. I was there in the fall and the colors were just breathtaking. I like the fact that it's a city (in fact, it's the largest in the state), though I don't know if Adam will.

 Wilmington, NC: I believe this is currently our number one choice. It is right on the Cape Fear River AND is up against the Atlantic. We have found GORGEOUS homes that we can actually afford right on the shore!

Bellevue, WA: By now you probably know that we both have a soft spot for the West Coast and for bodies of water, which makes Bellevue great because it sits right on Lake Washington (and of course is on the West Coast).

 Portland, OR: Portland is another one we're pretty serious about. I've been there and I absolutely fell in love with it. It reminded me of my beloved San Francisco and had this energetic, hippie culture. They have a great music scene, food scene, and great institutions of education (which may appeal to either Adam or I, as we both want to further ours). It's also along the Willamette, and the best part is that my brother, sister and nephew live just right across the river. :)



Like I mentioned, Portland and Wilmington are the two that it will probably come down to. We are both so excited to embark on this adventure and we fully intend to take full advantage of all the opportunities presented to us. :)

Why teaching young children is an ego-boost.

My job has been weighing heavily on my mind lately for several reasons - mostly because I am in danger of losing my job in a couple months. There are being lay-offs and being one of the newest teachers at the school is probably not going to help my case.

At first, I was devastated to even think of this possibility. Everyone knows I am completely in love with my job. (For those who don't know what I do, I teach kindergarten at an elementary school in Westwood.) I have 21 students and although one or two of them are a challenge, I feel like I've been blessed with the best five and six year-olds in the world. They surprise me every day with how compassionate and intelligent they are. And sometimes the fact that they are so intelligent makes me surprised when I am reminded that many are unable to do simple tasks like tie their own shoes or pull back their own hair.

After my initial panic over the possibility of losing this amazing job, I started to convince myself that maybe it's for the best - I will (at some point) need to find a full-time job that pays more, or at least another job to supplement this one (though I'm not fond of the idea of working two jobs). I thought maybe this would be a push in the right direction.

At this point, I think I'll be okay no matter what the outcome is, though I'd definitely prefer to keep my job. Until you work as a teacher of young children (especially kindergarteners!), you never realize how much of a difference you really make, or how much you are loved. Kids don't care about the drama in your personal life, or whether your hair looks good that day, or what degree you earned in college. All they want is your approval and for you to listen to what they have to say. All they want is to give you hugs and for them to be the extra lucky kid that gets to sit next to you in the circle. All they want is to be taught and respected and to teach and respect you in return.

Whether or not I'm laid off from this job, or I stay at this school for another 20 years, this particular group of 21 students will always be special to me. I'll always remember them as the ones who taught me that I can be loved, respected, and admired for all the right reasons.

**(I wish I could post a picture of my kids, but unfortunately I'm afraid that wouldn't be appropriate.)**

Welcome to the blog!

I've been inspired by various friends and strangers to keep a blog. I've had blogs before, but I've never been good about updating them or even remembering the password to access them. This is another attempt to start over and basically create a time capsule of my thoughts and memories.

I could see myself being wary of what I post and how it could affect my "image" and have already made a conscious decision to avoid that. I will post about a wide array of things, even things I might be embarrassed about sharing.

The point of this entire thing is to remember and to share.